Wichita eagle., 1887-10-23
A FAMOUS DUELIST.

the St EuStache church, in Paris, d an ole
house, rendered conspicuous by q wide porcl
and an extensive stock In trade OF china
This, two centuries ago. was the Hotel dr
Royaumont, built by Philippe Hurault
bishop OF Charles and able of Royaumont
Later on it was occupied by Francois d.
Aontmorency, Comte de Boutevills, who
made it a generous rendezvous for the deul
lists in Paris, All the gentlemen Of the court
eager to challenge any Of their peers over
some love intrigue, or who for some personal
motive looked daggers at each other on the
Place Royale or the Cour Ia Refine, met ai
the mansion in the Rue du Jour. Here they
were Hospitality received and entertained;
they were offered q cold collation. with wines
and liquors before entering the lists, and
those who had forgotten to bring weapons
were provided with goodly selection of
polished steel Throughout the morning there
was an incessant clash Of blades, each thrust
and parry being watched with intense in
| terest by veterans, who, after old scores had
been wiped off, and the resident surgeon had
bandaged the combatants' wounds, were in
vited, with the duelists and their seconds, to
luncheon with the Comte de Bouteville.
IL WOULD doubtless % vain quest 10 seek,
| now adays, for single representative OF this
defunct race of duehsts, a race to which Cho-
quart evidently belonged. He must have had
ancestors among the exquisites of the reign
OF Louis XIII, the swssh bucklers of the
Hotel de Royaumont, or the splendid corps OF
musketeers of Louis XIV. Choquart's mania
for dueling, his ever recurring provocations
TO decide q difference at tie swords point
made Of him public character; and his repu-
tation was perhaps heightened rather than
diminished by the fact that his most terrible
challenges were unable to withstand the offer
OF q peaceful solution over q bowl of punch.
His gulleless talk and southern accent, his
peculiar way Of hsping aud other physical
oddities, gave to his daily Odyssey q smack
of the most genuine comic bufoonery.
When the mania for fighting was strong
within him it was difficult to evade his mood
One day he would enter q coffee house, take
. seat and say to a near neighbor:
AFTER you, The Figaro, please"
"Sir,' the other would politely respond, -is
Is not The Figaro but The Constitutional
that am reading"
"Ohi you would give me the lie, would yous
Take care, sir, or, by Godl I'll teach you bet
ter manners"
On another occasion he would introduce O
like scene after this fashion:
"Now, don't keep staring at ME in that Of
fensive manner, pleased"
a." expostulated the customer Lord bless
me, sir, didn't even see you was looking
the other way"
"Ohi then | am a lar am IF And Che
quart would rise from his seat in threaten
ing attitude.
Even the most peaceful person could
scarcely put up with such insolence. They
felt like tucking up their sleeves and knock
ing Choquart down. Nor did he fail, at
times, to meet with his deserts He more
than once stumbled on Tartar His BEST
known scrape that way is worth relating.
Choquart one day entered courtyard TO
challenge master builder, who was pump
ing water at fountain The master builder
looked up surprised, caught hold Of Choquart
by the scruff Of his neck, doubled him up,
put him under the pump and soused him Ike
q dead rat.
The story of Choquart's adventures would
MI volume, but | will relate only one,
wherein | acted as his second.
One night, at a masked ball, Choquart
quarreled with Turk. Cards were ex-
changed. The following day Choquart, with
his two seconds, went TO his adversary's
house The Turk of the previous evening
turned out to be well TO do upholsterer, who
carried on business in the Saint Martin
quarter. On entering the premises Choquart
inquired after NJ Bailu.
What can | do for youF" asked a young
an,. pretty woman, who came forward from
the back OF the shop.
STUFF and nonsensei / dom. like Joking Ia
matters OF serious Importance My name il
Choquart. l come for an affair Of honor. A
gentleman shouldn't be made to watt In this
manner. Your husband is An i'll bred dog
"Oh. excuse me, now | know what brings
you. This is what have to say Ny hus-
band went out yesterday TO spend the carni-
val, and it mas made him III. He b In bed,
and spits blood"
Dear me- remarked Choquart. turning
toward bis seconds, what q nischance. He
spits blood, did you sayf
Alas yes, air." answered the young
woman, who seemed mnch affected. -and the
doctor says that be has not SIX months 70 live"
Dear me" went on repeating Choquart,
.spits blood How shall we settle matters,
thenf Hasn't SIX months TO hive. Well,
madame, I'm not . bad fellow, whatever
others may think. Now listen To wha, have
70 say. We are Iii january, aren't vel JUS,
%. Well, III give your husband six months
70 be buried in / shall call around and pay
my respects six months hence. II, ia July
next, your husband isn't dead and buried. III
treat him q knave and dece.yer, and pla-
card bis name in eli the barracks Of Psris"
, This threat, which constantly fell from
Choquart's lips, was q reminlscencs Of his
soldier life The thought never suggested
itself that al upholsterer might not care tie
jingle Of brass farthinS sbstbsr bis name
were placarded or not in all the barracks of
the country
One fine Afternoon in July II tha, sArps
year, ChoquArs took bold Of my arm q; tbs
Varietes coffee house, and said.
@Couse along with nss, Old boy; have .
small mater which / really must clear up
without further losz Of time
We took q road which led toward the Saifa.
Martin quarter, ard, ~s walked along,
Choquart catered sircgms:&niially into ths
particulars Of tbs case The upsolsssrsr's
day 0. reckoning had arrived, and choquayr
vas beat On finding out -hsther hs former
Turk had PAID Toe fgnsr.I draft iIsdor.ed siI
months previously By hAs wife.
IF, sosiIDqsiz-i Choq1zrt, ~tns roza. /.
Sill alive. IL cu: oT bos1 his ears, yoz Know.
I'm justified Ia 10 dong. aEa nosF
-Of eoar@ you are, ny dear fellow. Bat
iss me ask, tie thing occurred long ago,
didn't IL and in tos carnival sea~onf And
again. VITA, did tbs feAo~ do TO warran. szssh
q fesdF
W hat did he do, TIE yiIlainf Juss lsz.<n